Power plants

III.MYP, Physics

Introduction

This webquest looks into the different types of power plants. 

The following are some of the questions that will be dealt with in this webquest.

• What types of mechanical energy do we know?
• How can we transform various kinds of energy to electric energy? 
• How can we satisfy the humans’ energy demands? 

Task

You are a group of leading engineers, who has developed a “new type” of power plant and your task is to present the outcomes of your group to the class. You want to persuade important people to invest money to create such a power plant in your country (it does not matter that your power plant already exists + you can imagine that you do not live in Slovakia). You must prepare a great presentation of your work. You must show that it works, it has many advantages, but you must also admit some disadvantages. You are going to present a great project of your group, so you must show that your power plant is good – e.g. it is eco-friendly or that investors will earn a lot of money, because it is efficient..... You must sell your idea.

The outcomes

1. paper poster in the format of A1 - A2
2. presentation to the class, 5 - 7 minutes long

Process

Warm-up activities

Task 1: read the text and complete the grouping task.

Primary energy is the energy as it is available as resources – such as the fuels that are burnt in power plants –  before it has been transformed. This relates to the coal before it has been burned; the uranium; or the barrels of oil. When we convert primary energy into a transportable form we speak of secondary energy. For example, when we burn coal in a power plant to produce electricity, electricity is a form of secondary energy. Secondary energy includes liquid fuels (such as gasoline and diesel – which are refined oil), electricity, and heat.

Renewable energy comes from unlimited, naturally replenished resources, such as the sun, tides, and wind. Renewable energy can be used for electricity generation, space and water heating and cooling, and transportation.

Non-renewable energy, in contrast, comes from finite sources, such as coal, natural gas, and oil.

Renewable energy sources, such as biomass, the heat in the earth’s crust, sunlight, water, and wind, are natural resources that can be converted into several types of clean, usable energy. Renewable energy offers numerous economic, environmental, and social advantages.

Homeowners and renters can use clean energy at home by buying green power, installing renewable energy systems to generate electricity, or using renewable resources for water and space heating and cooling.

Task 2: Match  the  picture  to  the  correct  type  of  energy.

Task 3: Use the picture below to examine various forms of energy. Click on one word and see the picture of power plant associated with that form of energy. 

Task 4: Solar power plant - watch the video and answer the questions. 

Final product

Task 5: now you are ready to start working on your poster in your groups. See the green button "sources" and choose one power plant.

You will work in a group of 3 - 4 people. 

• • create the poster in a required format – describe one type of power plant
  • show all energy changes in your type of power plant (use some kind of graphical visualization attractive for others)
  • make your poster visually attractive
  • make some slogan (statement) which characterizes your type of power plant (some kind of advertising)
  • write values of possible power output of your power plant (+ you have to mention the efficiency)
  • write some important numbers: e.g.  dimensions of parts in power plant, or needed speed of the wind, water waves, or what amount of uranium we need per year (the aim is to bring some physical quantities – values with units)....
  • use pictures, schemes, diagrams.....
  • write the resources with small letters at the back of poster (according to MLA)

Checklist:

Evaluation

How well did you do in this project? Go to the green button named evaluation. 

Now you know all important information about energy sources and power plants. You are be able to do informed decisions related to various ways how to produce electrical energy.